1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clothing accessory which is attachable to an article of clothing. More particularly, the invention relates to a clothing accessory which displays pictographic indicia such as a photograph or a hologram and which is attachable to an article of clothing without the use of a pin.
2. State of the Art
Various clothing accessories are known in the art. Many known accessories are attachable to an article of clothing and bear decorative indicia. Such accessories include pins and badges bearing decorative indicia including photographs. For example, "photo buttons" are presently available and generally include a circular or rectilinear badge which is attachable to an article of clothing by means of a pin which pierces the clothing in two places. The button is typically a laminated structure having a metal backplate which bears the pin and a plastic coated front which covers a photograph. Often the "photo buttons" are made to order and bear a photograph of the wearer. The known "photo buttons" have several disadvantages. The metallic components are relatively expensive. The pin used to attach the button to clothing damages the clothing. Assembly of the button is difficult and usually requires a special laminating machine to attach the photograph to the button. In addition, metal backed photo buttons are relatively heavy which places strain on the article of clothing and thereby exacerbates the damage to the clothing caused by the pin.
My earlier design patent DES. 356,832 disclosed a "clothing attachable image holder" having two square-shaped pieces which snap together with the fabric of an article of clothing therebetween. The first square piece has a planar front surface, a centrally grooved back surface, and a pair of raised ridges on two opposite edges. The second square piece has a square-shaped opening for receiving the first square piece, a central cross member which is received by the central groove on the back surface of the first piece, and a pair of ridge receiving recesses on opposite internal edges of the square-shaped opening. In actual use, a square-shaped image is affixed to the planar surface of the first square piece using an adhesive. The image holder avoids many of the disadvantages of the prior art, but is unnecessarily complicated to use because the central groove must be aligned with the central cross member. This is not always simple because the two members are visually separated by the clothing fabric. In addition, the provision of the cross member and the central groove limit the utility of the holder by limiting the orientation of the two pieces. The cross member and the groove also mandate a more complicated mold to manufacture the pieces.